March 2024 – Inclusive Humanities

The “Open Lessons” Initiative Comes to a Close

Posted on March 27, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

The initiative “Lezioni Aperte” (Open Lessons) came to a close on Tuesday, 26 March, with a session led by Prof. Sabrina Piccinin. This program, introduced this academic year through the “Inclusive Humanities” project, offered high school students an insight into university life.

The final lesson, part of the course “Teaching Languages (Methods and Techniques for Developing Linguistic and Communicative Skills in a Foreign Language)”, marked the twenty-sixth session available to students in their last three years of high school (grades 11, 12, and 13). It provided a direct and tangible experience of the topics and methods of the degree programs offered by the Department.

“Lezioni Aperte” attracted over 60 participants, allowing students to engage with the university environment and connect in person with future peers, fostering reflections and discussions that might not have otherwise occurred.

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures looks forward to welcoming these students back as officially enrolled members of the Department and are excited to continue this initiative for the 2024/2025 academic year.

Live Performance at Songlines Event

Posted on March 27, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

On Monday, 25 March, the event “Songlines: The Ancient Secret to Our Planet’s Oldest Surviving Culture” featuring Joaquin Rudd and Fred Leone took place at Santa Marta university campus

Joaquin Rudd, son of Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd, shares his father’s passion for primitive music and atmospheres. Fred Leone, a member of the Garrwa and Butchulla tribes of Queensland, serves as a Songman, a guardian of the linguistic and cultural traditions of Aboriginal peoples, which he transmits through musical practice. To ensure that the identities of the Garrwa and Butchulla tribes remain part of the international collective memory, Leone has transcribed and set to music oral stories and songs from Aboriginal tribal ceremonies, incorporating their sounds and instrumentation.

During the event, Rudd and Leone discussed and performed the sounds of the Australian Aboriginal tribal cultures, with Leone serving as their custodian and spokesperson. The event concluded with a live performance by Joaquin Rudd on the didgeridoo.

Teatro a Rotelle Wins Inclusione 3.0

Posted on March 24, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

The university theatre company Teatro a Rotelle, supported by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, has been awarded the seventh edition of the international prize Inclusione 3.0, promoted by the University of Macerata. This award, established by the Chair of Special Pedagogy and Didactics at the University of Macerata, recognizes national and international initiatives that exemplify inclusivity. Participants include schools, associations, organizations, start-ups, and spin-offs that have developed projects aimed at including people with disabilities.

The scientific committee, chaired by Prof. Catia Giaconi, selected the project presented by Teatro a Rotelle, which was showcased through a short video, as the most innovative and socially impactful proposal. The awards ceremony for 2024 took place on Saturday, 23 March, at the Lauro Rossi Theatre in Macerata. The company secured the award with a performance focused on combating prejudices and stereotypes associated with disability.

Teatro a Rotelle was founded in 2016 by Massimo Salgaro and Nicoletta Vicentini. Under the direction of Nicoletta Vicentini and Jana Karšaiová, the company serves as a laboratory where students, faculty, and directors engage in scientific reflection on inclusion and theatrical performance, bringing themes of disability and prejudice to the stage. It has produced three shows: Il mio nome è Osvaldo, inspired by Benni’s Stranalandia; Homo Empathicus by Kricheldorf; and Triangoli, a modern adaptation of Cyrano.

Additionally, Teatro a Rotelle organized the inaugural edition of Festivabilìa – Festival delle abilità potenziali, held at the end of 2023, which aims to become an annual event.

The award was received by Massimo Salgaro, a faculty member from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, director Nicoletta Vicentini, and student group president Davide Bonfante.

First Seminar in the Context of Accessing Ophelia

Posted on March 22, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

On Wednesday, 3 April, at 10:00 a.m., the seminar “La colpa di essere donna: Ofelia fra riscritture e iconografia” will be held in the Co-working Room (Palazzo di Lingue, first mezzanine floor, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures – University of Verona). The seminar will be presented by Sandra Pietrini from the University of Trento.

This conference, part of the Accessing Ophelia project, will focus on the figure of Ophelia, one of the central female characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. Over the centuries, in various adaptations and iconographies, Ophelia has been portrayed as an emblem of virginal purity and innocence, embodying a lunar femininity destined to succumb.

Through a historical overview highlighting the characteristics attributed to Ophelia across different eras and contexts, the seminar aims to provide insights into Shakespeare’s attitudes toward women and to identify the significance of certain traits associated with Ophelia in later centuries. This reinterpretation of her character, often infused with the pathos of the tragedy, has created deep resonances in the collective imagination.

Contact person: Prof. Emanuel Stelzer
Email: emanuel.stelzer@univr.it

Spring School “Linguistic and Literary Facets”

Posted on March 21, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

On 18-20 March, the Spring School “Sfaccettature linguistiche e letterarie: i sentieri della diversità” (Linguistic and Literary Facets: The Paths of Diversity) took place in classroom T.6, providing a deep dive into the life of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Verona for high school students in their final three years. The event attracted numerous participants and offered insights into the diverse approaches to learning and scientific research in foreign languages and literatures.

Using the metaphor of precious stones and their facets, the program highlighted the teaching and research directions of various foreign languages and literatures offered by the department. It also included other disciplines such as computer science, marketing, management, tourism, and digital humanities. A significant focus was placed on the publishing industry, employment opportunities, and accessibility. Additionally, key services of the department and the university—such as the Internship Office, the University Language Centre, libraries, and Erasmus opportunities—were presented through effective collaboration among various coordinators.

The Department would also like to extend their gratitude to Chiara Giordano, Alessandro Mazzi, and Maryjane Uju Anioke, current and former students, who generously shared their experiences during the event.

Guest Lecture by Prof. Kay Wolfinger on contemporary literature and inclusion

Posted on March 19, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

On Monday, 18 March, as part of the initiatives of the PhD program in Foreign Languages and Literatures, the Department welcomed Prof. Kay Wolfinger from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

The lecture, titled “Fluid Boundaries, New Images? Contemporary Literature and Inclusion”, explored the theme of inclusion in contemporary European literature.